Advertisement

sportsFC Dallas

Mexico beats Panama, setting up a matchup with USMNT in the Concacaf Nations League Final

El Tri won 3-0 at AT&T Stadium on Thursday night, and will now square off with their rivals to the north on Sunday in Arlington.

ARLINGTON -- The most anticipated clash between the arch-enemies is set.

Mexico beat Panama 3-0 in the semifinal of the Concacaf Champions League. Sunday, El Tri will face the United States for the tournament title at AT&T Stadium.

In front of 49,926 fans at the home of the Cowboys, Mexico scored two goals in three minutes to sink Panama.

In the 40th minute, Edson Álvarez scored the first goal with a header from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner, assisted by Luis Chávez with a cross following a set piece play.

Sports Roundup

Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis, scores and more.

Or with:

Álvarez seemed offside, but the Video Assistance (VAR) system validated the midfielder’s score.

Advertisement

Mexico extended its lead on the scoreboard with a right-footed shot by Julian Quiñones inside the box in the 44th minute.

The goal was awarded after another review by the VAR.

In the 66th minute, Orbelín Pineda scored Mexico’s third goal to cause the fans in the stadium to explode with the cry of “Me-xi-co…Me-xi-co.”

Advertisement

Clash of Giants at AT&T Stadium

The rivalry between the national teams of Mexico and the United States is considered one of the greatest in international soccer.

The antagonism between the two major powers of Concacaf began with the first match played in 1934.

On that occasion, the Stars and Stripes defeated El Tri 4-2 in Rome to secure a spot in the World Cup in Italy.

The teams have met 76 times since then, with Mexico leading the overall series 36–17–23 (W–D–L). The U.S. holds the edge since 2000 though, with an 18–8–9 (W–D–L) advantage in the 21st century.

The U.S. has held the edge since 2000, though, with an 18–8–9 record.

The rivalry intensified in the summer of 2021 when the United States beat Mexico in the Nations League and Gold Cup finals. In November of that year, the United States also defeated El Tri in its first qualifying match for the World Cup in Qatar.

Advertisement

The last time El Tri beat the USMNT was in a friendly match in September 2019 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The United States has won the previous two editions of the Concacaf Nations League.

In 2021, the United States won the tournament by beating Mexico in the final played in Denver.

In 2023, USMNT defeated El Tri in the tournament’s semifinal in Las Vegas and won the final against Canada.

Advertisement

On Sunday at AT&T Stadium, one more chapter will be written between these arch-rivals.

“It will be a great final game. The United States has won both tournament editions, but I think no team will come out as a favorite on Sunday,” said Mexico coach Jaime Lozano after beating Panama.

Lozano hopes that on Sunday, his team can shake off the negative streak of being unable to beat the United States in their most recent matches.

“We have players who are playing very well, and for us, it is essential to win. It is vital to get results because that increases trust among all the people and allows you to work calmly throughout the entire process,” said Lozano.

Advertisement
Related Stories
View More

Find more soccer coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.